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Need help choosing a Specialty.

Hello Guys.

F2 doctor here hoping to get some help regarding what people think would be a suitable specialty for me. I feel like I'm getting to the point where I need to make a decision.

Right now I'm thinking more towards GP. It's the shortest training and the best work life balance. Looking at polls it seems like they rate highest for job satisfaction of all the specialties. Only issue here is I don't really like pediatrics and psychiatry which make up a significant portion of the patient base for GP's i guess?. Also seems like it would be difficult to manage patient in 10-15 minute time frame.

I did surgical rotations as an F1 and didn't really enjoy them. Don;t enjoy going to theatre - so have ruled out surgery.

No medical specialty stands out, not particularly passionate towards any of them. plus don;t really want to have to spend 5 years being a med reg - seems to stressful.

Radiology seems interesting but I hear its very competitive. Minimal patient interaction and sitting in an air-con office all day seems awesome.
(edited 4 years ago)
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Avatar for Ceryni
Ceryni
18
There's the ROADS to success handbook for foundation doctors, which is pretty heavy-handed on the reflection kind of thinking, but might be useful in helping to formulate your thinking on what kind of work you enjoy most and what path might help you achieve the work/life balance you want.
Original post by confused1235
Radiology seems interesting but I hear its very competitive. Minimal patient interaction and sitting in an air-con office all day seems awesome.


If minimal patient interaction is your thing then why are you considering GP? :tongue:

I would describe patient contact in radiology as focused rather than minimal. There are frequently times when you may be physically seeing patients all day long, but it's clearly in a different way to a never ending medical ward round.

Anyway, I would look into radiology if it's something you think may interest you. It is competitive, but not impossibly so - if you tick the boxes and do well in the MSRA you stand a good chance of getting an interview. Remember that in common with many specialties, not everyone applies to radiology as their sole preference so the competition ratio is a bit better than what it first appears. There's a good explanation here:

https://www.radiologycafe.com/interview-application/competition-ratios

More info here:

https://www.bmj.com/content/353/bmj.i1673

https://www.radiologynation.com/st1-interview

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